Means for sterilizing vessel-closures.



W. B. FENN.

MEANS FOR STERILIZING VESSEL CLOSURES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16. 1913.

1 9 1% 1 l Patented June 1, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

l/viimcooao W. B. FENN.

MEANS FOR STERILIZING VESSEL CLOSURES.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 16. 1913.

Patented June 1, 1915 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

m I V WILLIAM B. PENN, OF COLUMEU$ GI-I I D, ASSIGNOR TO THE WEIDOIT COMPANY. 015

COLUMBUS, orrio, a oonfrone'rion or onto.

MEANS roe STERILIZING vnssnnonosunns.

Ltd-1,1178.

Application'filedifune 18, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM B. FENN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Means for Sterilizing Vessel-Closures, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide means for automatically sterilizing the tops or closures of cans preparatory to their application to the can bodies containing the goods to be preserved.

My invention is especially useful in combination with and as herein shown is adapted to the parts of a machine for automatically closing can bodies such as is now manufactured' and leased by the American Can Company.

The invention is embodied in the construction herein shown and described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is a side elevation of parts of a can closing machine, showing my invention in combination therewith. Fig. 2 is a. plan view of the same. Fig. 3 1s a deta1l in plan view on a larger scale of the sterilizing device proper. Fig. 4 shows a section on the line wa2 Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view looking at the lower edge of what is shown in Fig. 3.

In the views designates the rotary turret or can feeder of the can closing machine, said turret being provided with a series of vertical can receiving recesses 11 in its rim into which in operation cans are upwardly projected and by which the cans are carried in a portion of their travel to the closing mechanism. The turret the upper ends of the said recesses are provided with seats or shoulders 12 onto each of which a can top or closure is discharged from a chute 13 containing a stack of tops or'closures at 14) as the turret turns under the lower end of the chute.v When a can top or closure has been seated on the shoulder 12 the turret carries it through a considerable are after which a can filled with goods to be preserved is shoved up into the recess of the turret until the can top or closure is lifted and rests on the can and not on the in which condition both are carried to that part of the machine where the closing or seaming operation is performed. All this is not new with me but well lniown and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June l. i915. serial Ito. 7%,906.

understood by those skilled in the art and needs no further description here.

In applying my invention ll provide the turret horizontally with an annular groove 15that lies slightly below the plane of the shoulders 12 and intersects the recesses 11 and into this groove below the chute 1 secure the device illustrated in detail in Figs. 3, 4 and-'5. Said device consists of two plates 16 and 17 of suitable metal placed parallel to each other but separated by a practically continuous strip 18 forming shallow inelosed chamber between the two plates. The two plates and said strip 18 are riveted tightly together by numerous rivets 19 and the plates are further braced with reference to each other by numerous other rivets 20 connecting the two plates in the portions forming the chamber. The upper plate 16 has an extension 16 forming an arc-shaped tongue to enter an annular inward extension of the groove 15. This tongue gives strength and aids in holding; the parts together and in proper position in the machine. The upper plate 16 is provided with a group of numerous small perforations 91 forming outlets or jetting" holes for the steam or sterilizing agent which is admitted underpressure to the chamber through a suitable opening in the lower plate, said. opening being provided with a threaded collar 22 for connecting the steam conductor from the generator. The steam jetting member thus described is fixed or secured in position in the machine substantially as shown in Fig. 2 by means of a clamp 23 held by a screw 24 so that a portion of the group of perforations 21 lies below the stack of can tops or closures in the chute and in position to jet the sterilizing agent against the lowermost one of said can tops or closures. The other portion of the group of perforations 21 lies below the arc or path through which the can top is carried before said top is taken by the filled can so that the lower side of the can top shall be subjected to the impact of the steri-- lizing agent until a time just prior to the time the top is taken by the filled can. The steam or sterilizingaggent is supplied under considerable pressure for the purpose stated and to destroy the germs that might be presthereon. ff jetted onto the lower end of the stack of can tops the whole stack is preliminarily heated steam or other hot agent be and the process of destruction of germs begun before the lowermost can top is separated from the stack. The destructive process, therefore, goes on after the separation of the lowermost can top and substantially until the top is taken by the filled can. In such case the heat of the sterilized contents of the can and the heat of the sterilized top cooperate in insuring a sterilized condition of the whole of the interior of the can it closed promptly as is usual.

The forms of the parts can be changed without departing from the gist of the invention as claimed herein.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In combinationwith a machine for closing cans with an applied closure, means for applying a sterilizing fluid directly to the closure prior to the application of the closure to the can substantially as described.

2. In combination with a machine for closing cans with an applied closure, said machine including means for containing a stack of such closures, means for applying a sterilizing agent to the stack of closures and to a closure after it is withdrawn from the stack and before it is applied to the can to be closed.

3. In combination with a machine for closing cans with an applied closure, said machine including a turret or carrier adapted to carry a closure, meansassociated withsaid turret or carrier adapted to project a sterilizing agent upon the closure while being carried by the turret or carrier.

4:. The combination with a machine for closing cans with an applied closure, said machine including a holder for a stack of closures and a carrier for transportin the closures, one at a time from the stac of means for projecting a sterilizing agent onto the stacked closures and also onto the transported closure.

5. A steriziling device for can closures in a can closing machine, consisting of a pair of plates united to form a chamber for a sterilizing agent, one of said plates being perforated for spraying the sterilizing agent onto the closure and means whereby the sterilizing agent is admitted to said chamber.

6. The combination with a machine for closing cans with an applied closure, said machine including a carrier turret for transporting the closures, said turret having an annular groove, of a device for sterilizing the can closures consisting of a chambered structure perforated to jet the sterilizing agent onto the closures, said chambered structure supported at one side on a fixed part beyond the turret and entering the groove of the turret at the opposite side.

WILLIAM. B. FENN.

BENJAMLIN FINCKEL. 

